Continuous method of realisation of works underground, tunnels and excavations in general with works of consolidation, permeabilisation and drainage obtained through guided perforations

ABSTRACT

Continuous method of realisation of underground works of whatsoever nature, with consolidation ( 6 ) before excavation, where said consolidation is carried out by means of guided perforations ( 3 ), obtained with swinging head perforation equipment ( 4,5 ), arranged peripherally in the nucleus or in the position indicated by the designer of the tunnel being built ( 1 ), or in underground work, and where said consolidation ( 6 ) within the guided perforation takes place by means of filling of each perforation ( 3 ) with reinforcements or inserts later mixed with aggregating substances injected at high or low pressure, or by means of a jet-grouting system with a pressure jet of cement mixtures, gel, resins etc., so that the consolidation before excavation takes place for long stretches, or for the entire length of the tunnel or the surface of the underground works, with attainment of a resistant work, according to precise static conditions, in that such guided perforations are traced exactly according to the design even following curved routes.

[0001] The technique for the excavation and preparation of tunnels or of underground excavations of any type whatsoever for roads, railways, for canals or underground waterways etc., generally makes use of peripheral consolidation techniques in such way as to create a resistant surrounding for the thrust of the earth during the internal excavation and the final realisation of the work.

[0002] Nowadays such known consolidation interventions envisage multiple perforations created around all or part of the external circumference of the tunnel, within which metal, fibreglass or other suitable material reinforcements or inserts are introduced, which are filled with a jet of concrete or other means of consolidation, such as cement mixtures, gel or resins, injected at low or high pressure. These consolidating materials mix with the material present around the periphery of the tunnel being built.

[0003] With these known systems crown or umbrella stretches of the consolidated terrain are created, which allow the carrying out in safety of a smooth stretch of excavation of the tunnel. Such a system of execution takes place for further courses of consolidation that are obviously quite short (for example 15-20 m. in length) with resistant veins off axis compared to the tunnel axis, in such way as to be able to act for later stretches of consolidation and relative successive excavation stretches.

[0004] The main inconveniences of this known system of proceeding are the following:

[0005] the need for numerous and systematic interventions in making headway, to alternate with excavation operations, with use of the personnel necessarily operating in the tunnel;

[0006] the moving in alternation of the equipment necessary for realisation of the consolidation and excavation at the start and finish of each intervention of consolidation;

[0007] the setting times for the mixtures used for the consolidation and such times are generally lost and are reduced as far as possible to the minimum with possible reduction of the resistance;

[0008] the need for consolidation work on the nucleus of the tunnel being built to sustain the excavation front;

[0009] the need for superimposition of each consolidation intervention compared to the preceding and successive to have guarantees of support for the tunnel front;

[0010] the need to perform the perforations with angles not longitudinal to the tunnel to create the space for the following treatment;

[0011] the excavation of the tunnel with variable sections to compensate with plugging and final works;

[0012] lengthy times for realisation of the work.

[0013] In cases in which the consolidation should have to be performed from above on a surface over the tunnel (tunnels with little cover) the difficulties of consolidation, at the current state of the art, are the following:

[0014] the need for perforation in a void to reach the zone inside the tunnel to consolidate;

[0015] the presence of works (sub-services, roads, houses, etc.) existing or to build on the surface;

[0016] costs of expropriation or occupation of public or private areas for execution of the consolidation;

[0017] the numerous movements on impervious bottoms or with poor resistance of the machines useful to realize the consolidation, including injection plant, pumps, etc. and all the structural elements (metal or fibreglass inserts).

[0018] Guided perforation systems are also known for tunnels or underground channels of limited cross-section such as sewers, water ducts, channels for electric and telephone cables etc., where said guided perforation takes place by means of equipment with rotating pipes fitted with special perforating heads, such flute shaped heads or hole bottom with asymmetric headed hammers or alternatively with mud turbines, which allow performance of piloted perforations even of considerable length, such as for instance more than 800 m depending on the terrain to cross, with direction that is constantly checked with systems of directional command, such as radio, magnetic, radar, radioactive, with reference to GPS systems or with optical and electronic references, so as to allow at any time the exact location and orientation of the head in the perforation phase.

[0019] Perforation may take place with the use of air or fluids under pressure, with destruction or coring bits, with the use of hole bottom hammers, with milling cutters, tricone bits, chisels, mud turbines etc. suitable for correction of the direction of perforation.

[0020] The material that results from the perforation discharges between the walls of the drill hole and the drill rod or between the rods and the possible casing, as commonly happens with perforation equipment for wells. The perforation rods that step by step advance within the excavation are then recovered together with the perforation head and during such recovery the possible boring of the hole and the placing of casing takes place with an internal liner in case of drainage or service pipes.

[0021] As mentioned, such guided perforation equipment as known nowadays, allows only the perforation of holes or channels of limited cross-section and does not yet permit the excavation of tunnels of considerable or large dimensions, which require consolidation before the excavation operations.

[0022] The purpose of this invention is that of eliminating the inconveniences complained of in regard to the technique used today for the preparation of tunnels or of similar underground works of considerable dimensions and lengths and practically to eliminate the need for successive, intermittent and alternative interventions (consolidation and excavations of limited length) and the consequent purpose of this invention is that of obtaining a method of execution that allows consolidation of the whole length of the tunnel or consolidation for stretches of considerable length, consolidation followed by the corresponding excavation.

[0023] According to this invention, this purpose is satisfied, performing the works of consolidation by means of an adequate number of guided peripheral perforations and possibly to the nucleus or in another position of the tunnel being built and later consolidation with the introduction in each perforation of opportune products, commonly known as reinforcements or inserts (metallic, in fibreglass or in other suitable materials) aimed at receiving the consolidation jet at high or low pressure or allowing consolidation using the jet-grouting technology with pressure jets of cement mixtures, gel or resins.

[0024] During the works of consolidation works of drainage may also be made, making use of one or more of the guided perforations, obviously covered and left free to discharge the drainage waters.

[0025] In the case in which the perforation reaches the other extremity of the work on the tunnel or the excavation, it is possible to replace the perforation bits either with reamers to pull the reinforcements or with nozzles for the treatment of jet-grouting type; and it is also possible to use the perforation rods as jet rods; in case the perforations terminate, instead, in the terrain the jet-grouting equipment will be mounted behind the perforation bits or, just as the inserts, reintroduced in the hole following extraction of the perforation rods also with the use of coatings to prevent the caving in of the hole itself.

[0026] Having performed the works of consolidation on the periphery of the tunnel being built, one arranges, after the setting time for the cement mixtures and/or other materials used for the consolidation, to excavate the core of the tunnel for the whole of its length or for relatively long stretches of the same. After excavation the works of plugging of the bottom and walls are carried out according to known techniques for finishing of the tunnel.

[0027] This way of proceeding according to the invention, has considerable executive and economic advantages. The executive advantages are substantially:

[0028] the possibility of knowing the real stratigraphy in continuum for long stretches or for the whole length of the route before intervening with the excavation;

[0029] the possibility, in case of the presence of a water-bearing stratum even under pressure, of realising a series of drainage points around the tunnel before starting the excavation operations;

[0030] the real possibility of maturing the cement or other aggregating substance for the necessary time having separated the intervention times between consolidation and excavation;

[0031] having consolidation in progress, even for many hundreds of metres, with reduction of the risk of deformations and collapses;

[0032] working environment in the open and with the spaces necessary in the cases in which the consolidation may be realised for the entire length of the work;

[0033] better organisation of the personnel both responsible for consolidation and for excavation in that they operate at different times;

[0034] considerable reduction of the interventions of consolidation inside the tunnel when the length of the same or particular situations advise subdividing the consolidation into more stretches.

[0035] The economic advantages obtained with the method in question are:

[0036] transportation to the outside of processes that are normally carried out inside tunnels and thus with lower costs for personnel and without the problems of operating with large equipment in small spaces in the hypothesis of treatments for the entire length of the work;

[0037] continuity of the processes both of consolidation and the successive excavation without the current losses of time in changing equipment and personnel between on type of process and the other;

[0038] lack of the current super-imposition of the works of consolidation that means a saving of material;

[0039] the possibility of having a cylindrical excavation cross-section with centring always equal and not saw-toothed as with current excavations, with necessary variable centring;

[0040] saving on the quantity of material to excavate with the cylindrical cross-section;

[0041] saving on the quantity of jetted concrete for coating with the cylindrical cross-section;

[0042] limited nature of the spaces between one movement and the other to perform the single works of consolidation.

[0043] The invention in question is clarified in its practical and exemplary realisations of a tunnel in the attached drawings, where:

[0044]FIG. 1 shows the longitudinal cross-section of a tunnel being built to be carried out with the method according to the invention,

[0045]FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal view of known equipment for guided perforation of small diameter for instance with flute shaped swinging head,

[0046]FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal view perforation of known equipment for guided perforation of small diameter for instance with an asymmetrical headed hammer,

[0047]FIG. 4 shows in longitudinal cross-section the tunnel being built with a first guided perforation performed along the total length of the tunnel or part of it,

[0048]FIG. 5 shows in longitudinal cross-section the guided perforation of FIG. 4 in phase of successive withdrawal of the perforation equipment and contemporary successive consolidation by means of a jet-grouting system or by means of a system with reinforcements,

[0049]FIG. 6 shows in longitudinal cross-section the total consolidation of the first guided perforation,

[0050]FIG. 7 shows in prospective view the group of consolidations around the tunnel being built with numerous guided perforations arranged as a crown,

[0051]FIG. 8 shows in prospective view the group of consolidations around the tunnel being built with numerous guided perforations arranged as a multiple crown,

[0052]FIG. 9 shows in prospective view the start of the excavations after said consolidation.

[0053] With reference to said figures, with FIG. 1 an example tunnel is indicated to be built that evidently may be of any type and assigned to any civil, industrial or military use. This tunnel 1 can be built in terrain 2 of any nature and shape.

[0054] In FIG. 4 in the upper zone of tunnel 1 a guided perforation 3 is shown as an example, obtained with known equipment for guided perforation of holes of relatively small diameter, fitted with a swinging head for instance flute shaped 4 or with an asymmetrical headed hammer 5 as illustrated indicatively in FIG. 2 and 3 or with mud turbines or other system.

[0055] This guided perforation equipment is constantly monitored and controlled by radio, magnetic, radar, optic or electronic reference systems etc. in such way as to define the precise position of the perforation bit and its orientation. The guided perforation 3 is the first phase of the consolidation operations.

[0056] In FIG. 5 the second phase of the consolidation operations is shown, with which one creates, step by step during the withdrawal of the guided perforation equipment, consolidation 6 of the perforation 3. This consolidation 6 continues for the entire length of the guided perforation 3, according to FIG. 6 or for successive long stretches of perforation.

[0057] The next phase three of the consolidation operations, envisages numerous guided and consolidated peripheral perforations 3 practically with parallel axes, created around the tunnel being built 1 with crown arrangement according to FIG. 7 or with multiple crown arrangement according to FIG. 8.

[0058] The next phase four concerns, after setting of the consolidations, start of excavation 7, which takes place along the whole length of the tunnel 1 or for successive long stretches of the same.

[0059] The last phase five regards treatment of the finishing of the walls and floor as well as all the successive works inherent with the definitive functional arrangement of the tunnel.

[0060] Particular interest is paid in this invention, to phase two of consolidation, which uses the numerous guided perforations 3 as described above, and the works of consolidation that may be made with columnar jet-grouting treatment or by means of systems with reinforcements or still again with the two systems mixed. Furthermore, one or more of the guided perforations 3 may be used for drainage of the tunnel.

[0061] Consolidation through columnar jet-grouting treatment envisages, during withdrawal or advancing of the guided perforation equipment 3, injection within the perforation of aggregating substances, such as cement compounds, gel, resins, etc., which on mixing with the terrain create resistant cores along the whole length of the tunnel or part of it.

[0062] Instead, consolidation through a reinforcement system envisages, either during the perforation or during withdrawal of the guided perforation equipment 3, the introduction into the perforation of metal or other material inserts and successive injection at low or high pressure, of aggregating materials (cement compounds, resins, etc.). This reinforcement improves the resistance of the internal core 6 that is forming with the expansion of the aggregating products in the terrain adjacent to the guided perforation.

[0063] The mentioned systems of jet-grouting consolidation or by means of reinforcements, may also be used one with the other according to the type of excavation to be carried out and the type of tunnel to be created.

[0064] In case of use of a guided perforation 3 for drainage of the tunnel, one arranges to replace the excavation head with a bore reamer that drags, during recovery of the rotating tubular rods of the perforation equipment, a metal pipe or one of other suitable material, that is laid inside the excavation with the function of casing for the drainage duct.

[0065] The placement of inserts and drainage even after the extraction of the perforation rods from the same part of the start of perforations is envisaged with a simple thrusting of the reinforcements or drainage pipes into the free hole protected in the perforation phase by casing pipes (to be recovered later) that prevent caving in.

[0066] It is therefore evident, according to the aims of this invention, that use of the guided perforation system, to carry out the external consolidation of the tunnel before excavation, allows to obtain functional and economic advantages of great value compared to the current consolidation technique with extremely short stretches (15-20 m.) permitting consolidation over the entire length of the tunnel or on a few relatively long stretches of the tunnel itself (stretches of tunnel up to 800 m and more are possible). Even the preparation of tunnels with routes with little cover realisable with consolidation to be obtained with jet-grouting techniques from above (from the surface), according to this invention shows advantages that are evident in that most of the empty perforations before reaching the consolidation zone are eliminated.

[0067] The advantage should also be noted that consolidation through guided perforation, according to this invention, allows to obtain a resistant work according to precise static conditions in that guided perforations are traced exactly as in the project, even following curved routes though orientation of the guided perforating heads. The invention is also advantageous for the realisation of consolidation of underground elements, even horizontal, of separation of contiguous terrain with hydraulic and hydro-geological aims, to separate phreatic or artesian surfaces or for the impermeabilisation of lakes, troughs, canals or to restore impermeability to tanks used for discharge. These underground elements may have consolidation works through guided perforations done in simple or multiple series, where each guided perforation receives the aggregating materials by means of a system with inserts or with the jet-grouting system. These consolidation works of the task may be independent of possible excavations or remodelling of the terrain. 

1) Continuous method of realisation of underground work, tunnels and underground excavations in general, where normally such tunnels and excavations of considerable dimensions are nowadays prepared by means of short and successive stretches (15-20 metres in length) of peripheral consolidation and excavation of the relative stretch of tunnel, such consolidation being carried out through short multiple umbrella-like perforations into which reinforcements or inserts in metal, fibreglass or other suitable material are introduced, which act as support to the consolidating materials, such as cement mixtures, resins, etc., injected at low or high pressure, in such way as to create for each short stretch peripheral consolidation to the tunnel, which allows to carry out the next excavation of corresponding short stretches, characterised by that said consolidation is made by means of an adequate number of guided perforations of small cross-section (3), where such guided perforations are obtained by means of equipment with movable perforation head (4, 5), are arranged peripherally to the nucleus or in the position indicated by the designer of the tunnel being built (1) and cover all or large part of the length of the tunnel itself (for instance up to about 800 metres in length and even more), where said consolidation (6) within the guided perforation takes place by means of filling of each perforation (3) through reinforcements or inserts later mixed with aggregating materials injected at high or low pressure or through a jet-grouting system with a pressure jet of cement mixtures, gel, resins, etc., in order that the consolidation of the tunnel before the excavation takes place on long stretches or for the entire length of the tunnel itself, with attainment of a resistant work according to precise static conditions in that such guided perforations are traced exactly according to the project even following curved routes. 2) Method according to claim 1, characterised by that the guided perforations (3) aimed at creating the consolidation (6) before excavation (7), are carried out peripherally and/or in the nucleus and/or in a suitable position for the tunnel being built (1) as a simple crown or multiple crown or with whatsoever arrangement. 3) Method according to claim 1, characterised by that after execution of each guided perforation (3), one arranges for withdrawal of the perforation equipment and with this withdrawal, one arranges to introduce into the guided perforation (3) the reinforcements or inserts of support to the aggregating means injected into the perforation itself. 4) Method according to claim 1, characterised by that after execution of each guided perforation (3), one arranges to introduce the aggregating materials according to the jet-grouting system. 5) Method according to claims 3 and 4, characterised by that the filling of the guided perforation (3) may take place using systems with reinforcements and inserts, as well as jet-grouting systems or combinations of all three. 6) Method according to claim 1, characterised by that the aggregating materials, such as cement mixtures, resins, etc., injected into the guided perforation (3) at high or low pressure, both with the system with reinforcements and with the jet-grouting system, expand and pack down in the terrain surrounding the guided perforation creating resistant cores close to one another, penetrating each other or separate. 7) Method according to claim 1, characterised by that one or more of the guided perforations (3) may be used for drainage of the tunnel and undergo substitution of the excavation head (4, 5) with a perforation hole reamer, which drags, during recovery of the tubular rotating rods of the perforation equipment, a metallic pipe or of other suitable material, that is placed within the perforation with the function of casing or drainage pipe. 8) Method according to claim 1, characterised by that during execution of each guided perforation, one arranges for advancement of the perforation equipment and with such advancement, one arranges to introduce into the guided perforation (3) the reinforcements or inserts of support to the aggregating means injected into the perforation itself. 9) Method according to claim 1, characterised by that during execution of each guided perforation (3) one arranges to introduce the aggregating materials according to the jet-grouting system. 10) Method according to claims from 1 to 9 for attaimnent of consolidation works for separation structures between contiguous terrains for hydraulic and hydro-geological uses, to separate phreatic or artesian surfaces or with the function of impermeabilisation and/or of consolidation of troughs, lakes, discharge tanks, etc., characterised by that, such consolidation works even independent of excavations or earth movements, are obtained by means of guided perforations (3) placed in simple or multiple series according to a resistant project plan, where each guided perforation (3) receives reinforcements or inserts and the relative aggregating materials or the apparatuses with the jet-grouting system. 